265 lines
10 KiB
Plaintext
265 lines
10 KiB
Plaintext
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The Covenant of the Goddess
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Purpose
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The Covenant of the Goddess was founded in 1975 to increase
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cooperation among Witches, and to secure for Witches and covens the
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legal protection enjoyed by members of other religions.
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Functions
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The Covenant is incorporated as a non-profit religious organization in
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California, though it has grown to be a nationwide organization. It is
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a confederation of covens and solitaires of various traditions, who
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share in the worship of the Goddess and the Old Gods and subscribe to
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a common code of ethics. The Covenant holds a Grand Council annually
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to elect national officers, set a budget, and decide matters which
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require deliberation by the full membership. Decisions are usually
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made by consensus.
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Code of Ethics:
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* And ye harm none, do as ye will.
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* Since our religion and the arts and practices peculiar to it
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are the gifts of the Goddess, membership and training in a local
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coven or tradition are bestowed free, as gifts, and only to those
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persons who are deemed worthy to receive them. However a coven
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may expect each of its members to bear a fair share of its
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ordinary operating expenses.
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* All persons have the right to charge reasonable fees for the
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services by which they earn a living, so long as our religion is
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not hereby exploited.
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* Every person associated with this Covenant shall respect the
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autonomy and sovereignty of each coven, as well as the right of
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each coven to oversee the spiritual, mental, emotional and
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physical development of its members and students in its own way,
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and shall exercise reasonable caution against infringing upon
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that right in any way.
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* All persons associated with this Covenant would ever keep in
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mind the underlying unity of our religion as well as the
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diversity of its manifestations.
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* These ethics shall be understood and interpreted in light of
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one another, and especially in light of the traditional laws of
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our religion.
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Confidentiality
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All information given to the Covenant of the Goddess or any of its
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officials is considered strictly confidential, unless you indicate
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otherwise. No information about members is published or given out
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without explicit written permission. Direct access the the Covenant's
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mailing list is limited to the Board of Directors. Maximum privacy is
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assured.
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Newsletter
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At every Sabbat the Covenant publishes a newsletter of Craft and Pagan
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news, original articles, poetry, humor, rituals and announcements.
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Member covens receive the newsletter automatically. Individual
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coveners and non-members who donate a suitable tax-deductible gift
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will also be placed on the mailing list, to receive the newsletter and
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other mailings. Circulation is limited to members and friends of the
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Covenant.
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Finances
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An annual membership tithe is set every year at the Grand Council to
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cover the bare expenses, based on the previous year's expenses and any
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projected cost increases. The annual financial statement is published
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on the newsletter. Other activities are supported by fund- raising.
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All contributions to the Covenant of the Goddess are greatly
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appreciated and are tax-deductible.
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Applying for membership
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Any Goddess-supporting coven or solitaire can be eligible for
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membership in the Covenant of the Goddess if certain criteria and
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requirements are met. All inquiries into membership should be sent to
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the National Credentials Officer, who will respond. If the coven or
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solitaire is in an area near a local council, the National Officer
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will forward the inquiry to the local Credentials Officer, who will
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respond by felling out the appropriate form and sending it in with the
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initial membership tithe.
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General Criteria for Coven Membership
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* Generally focus theology and ritual,etc., around the worship
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of the Goddess and the Old Gods (or the Goddess alone).
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* Believe and follow a code of ethics compatible with that of
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the Covenant.
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* Have been meeting monthly or oftener for at least six months.
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* Have three or more members who have been formally accepted
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into the clergy.
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* Be a cohesive, self- perpetuating group.
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Requirements for membership
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Full Membership:
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The applicant must be recommended without reservation by two
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active members of the Covenant.
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Provisional Membership:
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The applicant must be recommended by one member; and then within
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a year and a day must make a viable effort to get to know other
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members, in order to achieve Full Member status.
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The appropriate Credentials Officer (National or local) shall
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verify information regarding the criteria and requirements.
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Coven-At-Large:
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This is the term we use to represent the many Witches who are
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solitaires, i.e. practicing alone. Each local council may devise
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its own standards for admission of coveners-at-large, in harmony
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with national guidelines.
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Local Councils
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A local council is a smaller branch of the Covenant, consisting of at
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least three member covens of at least two different traditions, in
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reasonably close geological proximity to each other. The local
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councils meet more often than the national organization. They may
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initiate independent projects, sponsor local festivals and workshops,
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and generally work together for common goals close to home. As the
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Covenant continues to grow, we encourage new members to form their own
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local councils.
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Voting
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When a matter requiring a decision is presented before the Covenant in
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council, is is discussed by the members in attendance until a
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consensus is reached. If a consensus cannot be reached, then a vote is
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taken. A coven holding a current Full Membership is entitled to one
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vote. Each such coven also holds the power to veto, though this is
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exercised only in extreme cases. A coven with Provisional Membership
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is entitled to one vote, but does not hold veto power.
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A coven-at-large is entitled to one vote if, and only if, three
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individuals are physically present at the council and unanimous in
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their choice of vote.
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Ministerial Credentials
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In order to be eligible to receive Ministerial Credentials as a
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Priestess of Priest, a person shall:
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1. Be an active member of the coven which is a Full Member of the
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Covenant.
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2. Have been 'confirmed' to taking on the full commitment to the
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requirements of that coven's Tradition of our religion.
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3. Have undergone at least a full year of active training for
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the ministry of that Tradition.
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These credentials shall remain valid only so long as the person
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remains an active member of the coven which remains an active member
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of the Covenant.
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In order to be eligible to receive Ministerial Credentials as an
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elder, a person shall:
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1. Satisfy (2.) and (3.) above.
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2 Have undergone an additional full year of active training for
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the ministry.
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3. Be fully able to form a coven, admit members, and train them
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in the tenets and practices of that Tradition.
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These credentials shall remain valid for life, unless specifically
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revoked, so long as the person remains in contact with the Covenant.
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The National Festival
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The annual Grand Council or national business meeting is held as part
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of a national festival, which is open as part of a national festival,
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which is open to the whole membership as well as Pagans and Witches
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who are not part of the Covenant. The festival is usually held at a
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secluded campground or resort, and moves to a different area of the
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country each summer. In addition to the council meeting, the program
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includes workshops on magick and the Craft, concerts, a potluck feast,
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a talent show, and the opportunity to purchase (or barter for) art,
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crafts and ritual tools by Pagan artisans. Registration information is
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available in the newsletter.
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For more information: Write to the Covenant of the Goddess, P.O. Box
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1226, Berkley, Ca. 94704
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